| SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Moreover let us also be full of joy now! Let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance fortitude develops maturity of character that is approved faith and tried integrity. And character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.”—Romans 5:3-4 (Amplified). Persecution is part of the Christian faith as Jesus Himself tells us in John 15:18-20 and yet suffering for our faith in Jesus Christ is something most believers would do anything to avoid. In fact, most believers will rather take the route of least resistance especially in these days when false teachers and prophets are saying that when you come to Christ all your problems will be solved. What the Bible rather teaches is that when we believe in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord and begin to live godly and righteous lives we will be persecuted. Persecution comes because the forces of darkness hate the way of light because light exposes the deeds of evil. Thousands are said to have died during the Mau Mau uprising during the reign terror of General Idi Amin. Millions also suffered during the Soviet era. Even now many people in the Middle East, China, Indonesia and other parts of the Far East as well as here on the African continent continue to suffer imprisonment, torturing and of basic human rights such as good education and jobs because they have converted to Christianity. What should Christians do when they are faced with persecution? Should they flee or resist or tone down their outward signs of faith? The answer is a resounding NO because suffering is an expected part of a life of sincere faith (2 Tim 3:12). PRAYER: Dear God, Help me to remain strong during persecution, and let me keep my faith unto the end. Amen |
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